


Letting Bygones be Bygones for the Sake of the World

by MagicPatrol



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Freeform, Gen, Hogwarts Seventh Year, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, POV Multiple, Pre-Battle of Hogwarts, Severus Snape Lives, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:00:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27039868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MagicPatrol/pseuds/MagicPatrol
Summary: Author's Notes: Sorry for the weird way this fic is starting. Basically, I had this scene planned in my head and wanted to write it down asap but not the preamble that's sets the scene. When I figure out the beginning, I'll come back to this chapter, update it and delete this note. Thank you for your understanding in this matter and please enjoy.
Relationships: Hermione Granger & Harry Potter & Ron Weasley, Remus Lupin/Severus Snape
Kudos: 3





	Letting Bygones be Bygones for the Sake of the World

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Notes: Sorry for the weird way this fic is starting. Basically, I had this scene planned in my head and wanted to write it down asap but not the preamble that's sets the scene. When I figure out the beginning, I'll come back to this chapter, update it and delete this note. Thank you for your understanding in this matter and please enjoy.

"I noticed you were quick to believe and trust in Black again with little to no evidence of his innocence." Snape said accusingly, squinting at Lupin incredulously. "It's nice to know that there is a double standard at play when it comes to your judgement."

"Don't listen to him, Remus-" Harry began but fell silent as Lupin held up his hand and gave Harry an understanding nod.

"You killed Albus Dumbledore before witnesses, how do you defend those actions?" Lupin accused.

"I was following orders." Snape answered simply.

"Voldemort's orders." Harry interjected, his hand clenched tightly around his wand.

Kingsley, Lupin and Snape all flinched at the mention of Voldemort's name, and then Snape shook his head and replied "No, not by the orders of the Dark Lord." He then met Lupin's gaze and stated "But by the orders of Albus Dumbledore, himself." He turned to Harry and to the younger wizard's surprise there seemed to be what looked like genuine remorse in the usually emotionless black eyes. "Potter, you saw Albus in his final year leading up to his death, you must have noticed how much more fragile and dependent he was becoming?" Harry said nothing but nodded. "He had been infected by a very aggressive type of curse. I had managed for the time being to contain it in his hand but we both knew that it would eventually spread to his heart and kill him."

Harry's grip on his wand loosened. "That's why his hand turned black?"

Snape nodded "He then told me that he wanted me to kill him. I thought because of the circumstances that he was making a dark humored joke." He stared down at the muddy earth and sighed "I was wrong."

"You and Albus planned this together?" Kingsley followed.

"We did." Snape agreed. "He wanted to power through and try to prepare Potter as best as he could for what is to come. That was one of his main concerns. Before his own pain and suffering, Potter came first in his mind." 

At this Harry released his wand completely and looked away. He didn't want to believe it. He wanted to believe that Snape was as evil and as vile as he had always suspected him to be. But that moment on top of the Astronomy Tower played over in his head, like a VHS being rewound again, and again.

"Severus, please." Dumbledore had begged.

"He was in near constant agony at the end. Coming to me on a day to day basis, asking for pain suppressants; to keep up the façade that he was still as much a picture of health as he always had been. Lest he become a sitting duck for a young Death Eater wishing to appease the Dark Lord. A seemingly healthy and cognitive Albus Dumbledore, not ever the Dark Lord himself would dare to make an attempt on his life." Snape paused. "I did everything I could, for as long as I could. Then the pain suppressers stopped being affective and he needed stronger potions with harder to source ingrediants and more complicated instructions.-"

"But I'm sure you were able to handle it." Lupin said.

"That's not the point." Snape stated flatly. "A body cannot consist on potions alone. The systems begin to slow down until it begins to fail and then stop altogether." He then went silent in what appeared to be quiet contemplation. "He knew. I remember he told me the Saturday prier that he could feel himself slipping away. That he was ready to die." He then peered up at the starry sky above. "And when the time came, I kept my promise. I'm asking you now to believe me. To trust that what I have just told you is the truth. Or Albus' hard work and the individual years of planning and sacrifices would have been for nothing. Kill me now and the Wizarding World as we know it will come crashing down and years of subjugation and torture will be all that's left."

Lupin leaned back in the garden chair and let out a long sigh. "This is difficult." he managed and looking to the Auror he asked "What do you think, Kingsley?"

"It's hard to say." Kingsley began. "Each one of us here knows how secretive Albus Dumbledore could be, so it's more than plausible. But this could easily be an intricately crafted lie." He pressed his hands to his temple and breathed "If we get this wrong, either way could spell disaster. If it is a lie and we let him leave, we let go one of He Who Must Not Be Named's right hand men and make ourselves venerable to attack. But if he is telling the truth, and we condemn an innocent man, we may well loose the war as a result." Kingsley then looked to Harry. "What do you think, Harry?"

Harry sat for a moment, trying to think it through but he found he was also conflicted. Then, he remembered something that he had wanted answers to for almost a year. "Tell me about the Unbreakable Vow you made?"

Snape's attention immediately snapped to Harry. "And they say that I skulk around corners. Although, I shouldn't be surprised by now, should I?" Snape replied and taking a clearing breath he explained "You have to understand that the Dark Lord does not take failure lightly. Failure reflects on him, if you fail the Dark Lord then the Dark Lord fails, too. And he punishes his followers accordingly. Lucius was put in charge of the asault on the Ministry. He was tasked with ambushing Potter and retrieving the prophecy. He was suppose to deliver the prophecy and if possible bring the boy to him. And he failed at both. And not only that but it resulted in the mass incarceration and investigation into many of the Dark Lord's best men. So as punishment for this failure, the Dark Lord allocated that Draco Malfoy would be the one to lure out and kill Albus Dumbledore. I informed Albus of this news and that is when he made the proposal that I should do it in the boy's place."

"He was protecting Malfoy?" Remus prompted.

"He worried that it would damage his eternal sole." Snape nodded. "It's believed that the killing curse does irreparable damage to the soul, dependent upon it's use. But if it is done out of self defense or out of mercy, perhaps not." He shrugged and continued "Within the week of the news of the Dark Lord's plans, Narcissa Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange turned up on my doorstep; despite their best judgement and the possible ire they may have incurred had they had been found out. And Narcissa did what any mother would do, she asked my advice and when I told her that my hands were tied and I couldn't move against the Dark Lord's wishes, she begged me to help her son. I foolishly told her that I would do what I could and that's when I was asked to make the unbreakable vow." He paused before recounting "I was asked to help Draco Malfoy with his tasks set by the Dark Lord, to do my best to protect him from harm and, if needed to perform his task in his place."

Harry thought about the answers given and mulled over all the information swarming his head and finally, he broke his silence "I believe him."

"You're certain, Harry?" Lupin enquired.

"I think so." Harry nodded. "I don't know if I fully trust him but everything he says... it makes too much sense to me for it to be something he made up." He nodded again, more confident in his opinion this time. "Yeah, I think he's telling the truth."

"I hope you're right." Kingsley said and removed his spell, the iron chains and locks disappearing from around Snape's slight frame.

"You all understand of course, that you must be sworn to secrecy about what I just told you?" Snape informed them. "We cannot risk what has been discussed here finding the Dark Lord. Especially you, Potter. I do not doubt that you still share a bond with the Dark Lord's mind." He then proceeded to take out his wand and gestured for them to do the same. "You swear on your magic that what has been divulged between the four of us here today, does not leave this room?"

"I swear." Kingsley agreed and turned his gaze to Lupin.

"I swear." Lupin nodded in agreement and then all three pairs of eyes turned towards Harry.

Harry thought for a moment about Ron and Hermione, his best friends. And he knew it would kill him on the inside not to tell them. But he also knew that this particular secret needed to be kept close to his chest. "I swear."

"I have no idea how we're going to explain this to the rest of the Order." Lupin sighed.

"Let myself and Mad Eye handle the rest of the Order." Kingsley volunteered.

"Speaking of, the other's should be back by now." Lupin announced as they all left the garage and entered the house.

Upon entering the house, Mrs Weasley shrieked and pointed a trembling finger at Snape, causing those gathered in the living to spin round and draw their wands; only lowering them when Lupin held his hands up defensively. "Remus Lupin, you'd better have a good explanation for why that man is in my house?" Mrs Weasley prompted, standing between them and Ginny and Ron.

"There is a good explanation and it'll come in all due time but right now, I need you all to lower your wands." Lupin said calmly. "All I can say presently, is that what happened on top of the Astronomy Tower between Severus Snape and Albus Dumbledore is not what we first believed it to be." Silence fell over the Burrow and no one dared to move.

"Do you believe Snape, Harry?" asked Ron, breaking the silence.

"Yes, I do." Harry said.

"Then I believe him, too." Ron nodded. "Harry's always been suspicious of Snape since we started at Hogwarts together. So if Harry says that Snape's on our side, then that's enough for me."

Hermione smiled from where she standing near the chimney "Me too."

The sea of wands vanished from view, some more resistant than others. "How many more are left to arrive?" prompted Kingsley.

" Bill and Fleur and, Mad Eye and Mundungus have all yet to arrive." Tonks informed him.

"How many was in your party?" Snape questioned Lupin.

"Fourteen in total." Lupin supplied. "Harry with Hagrid, George with me, Fred with Arthur, Hermione with Kingsley, Ron with Tonks, Fleur with Bill and Mundungus with Mad Eye."

"Fourteen?" Snape replied raising an eyebrow. "That doesn't seem right."

"What do you mean, Severus?" Lupin said with a concerned look on his face.

"I only counted twelve." Snape responded.

Then a sudden noise coming from the garden stirred their collective attention. As the others redrew their wands and Mr Weasley dimmed the lights, Harry crept closer to the window. Squinting out into the dead of night, he could just make out two figures heading down the path from the neighboring field. It wasn't until Kingsley illuminated the end of his wand that Harry could make out the distinctive features of Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour. Fleur appeared visibly shaken by something, her arms wrapped tightly around her chest; shock and worry etched into both of their faces. "Oh Bill." gasped Mrs Weasley as she rushed out the door, flinging her arms around her eldest son. "And Fleur, dear." She then gently traced her hand down Fleurs cheek before pulling them both close. "Thank goodness you're both safe."

Mr Weasley stepped closer and placing a hand on Mrs Weasley's shoulder as she broke her embrace, he looked up into Bill's eyes, "What's happened?"

"Mad Eye..." Bill managed. "Mad Eye's dead." Tonks gave an audible gasp as Bill continued "It went just as he had anticipated, that they assumed Harry would be with the most experienced Auror and then Mundungus apparated away."

A deafening quiet fell upon the occupants of The Burrow, only interrupted by Tonks' gentle sobs from where she had take residence in the armchair closest to the fire. Mr and Mrs Weasley, Fleur and Bill filed into the living room, Mr Weasley then headed into the kitchen and returned with seventeen glasses of different shapes and sizes and, poured equal measures of fire whiskey into each. "Mad Eye." he announced, holding aloft his own glass as they all took up a glass.

Tonks gave a sniff and dragged the back of her sleeve across her eyes and returned "To Mad Eye, the stubborn, cantankerous, old git, who right at this moment is probably still chasing dark wizards and witches in the afterlife."

Harry tipped the fire whiskey back and immediately felt the heat warm the back of his throat and placed the glass down with the other empties on the dining room table. "I have to take my leave before my absence is noticed." Snape said and backed out of the room.

"Be careful." Lupin called after him, causing Snape to pause for a moment before gliding off through the fields and, just a moment later a faint BANG! like a car backfiring could be heard signaling that Snape had apparated away.

Harry turned from where he had been watching Snape at the doorway and found Ron and Hermione near the fireplace. "Hi guys." he said unsure of what else to say as he stuffed his hands in his jacket pockets.

Hermione waisted no time and pulled Harry close, followed by Ron. The three holding onto one another, Harry's grip on them was tight with worry and uncertainty as to what was to come. But what Harry was certain of was that they would face it together as they had always done. No matter what.


End file.
